Control of textile fibers during drafting operations



w. F. BIRD 2,595,918

CONTROL OF TEXTILE FIBERS DURING DRAFTING OPERATIONS May 6, 1952 Filed March 15, 1949 NH! T WORTH f: BIRD fay Patented May 6, 1952 CONTROL OF TEXTILE FIBERS DURING DRAFTING OPERATIONS Whitworth F. Bird, S-warthmore, Pa., assignor to Collins & Aikman Corporation, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Delaware Original application October 8, 1947, Serial No. 778,637, now Patent No. 2,471,058, dated May 24, 1949. Divided and this application March 15, 1949,S'erial No. 81,558

2 Claims. (01. 19-130) This invention relates to draft and draw frames such as are used in the preparation of textile yarns, rovings and slivers. The present disclosure is a continuation in part of my co-pending applications, Serial Nos. 635,642, which has issued as U. S. Patent No. 2,471,057, and 645,055. Application Serial No. 22,686, which has issued as U. S. Patent No. 2,471,056, is a division of Serial No. 645,055, now abandoned. The present application is a division of Serial No. 778,637, filed October 8, 1947, which has issued as U. S. Patent No. 2,471,058.

In application Serial No. 635,642, which has issued as U. S. Patent No. 2,471,057, I have illustrated drafting devices of substantially universal application. These devices have expanded the range of blends and length variation of fibers which may be processed successfully and economically. The illustrated embodiments of this prior application show arrangements for the successful feeding and control of fibers difficult to process because of twist characteristics and wide variation in fiber length in and within stocks of fibers. j

Abandoned application Serial No. 645,055 and its divisional application, Serial No. 22,686, which has issued as U. S. Patent No. 2,471,056, each specifically discloses arrangements of positively driven control rollers in combination with a support to provide even control of fibers during.

drafting. Among the features disclosed in these prior applications is a positively driven pin control roller cooperating with a fiber guide or support. In the latter case, a particular structure is provided to reduce wear when the guide and'control roller are operating in contact, but at different speeds.

In the present instance, I am illustrating a variation in fiber control mechanism during drafting. This includes certain simplifications of the previous embodiments and permits a reduction in the number of parts, especially power driven parts. Additionally, it provides for a wide selection of material for use in the guides to overcome operating difficulties such as static.

As in the prior application, I use the feature of effecting a support for the fibers substantially directly opposite to the point of first contact of the fibers with the control roller. The structural improvement largely resides in modifying the supports and their cooperation with the control roller as will be more fully explained.

In the present case, I illustrate the use of a stationary nose bar whether or not an apron is used. I also contemplate providing an adjustable support over which the fibers slide during drafting and which is automatically adjusted by movement of the control roller or independently adjustable thereto. The automatically adjustable fiber or strand support may conveniently take the form of a stationary apron having a tensioning device within or cooperating with the outside of its periphery. The independently adjustable strand guides are also characterized by being operative in several adjusted positions.

My combination of parts and steps greatly expands the permissible use of pin control units. It provides for desired variation in pin control and it provides for high draft in a novel manner. For example, I have found that pin rolls present fiber drafting problems not present in ordinary roll type forms of slip draft devices. If the stock is not properly presented to the pins, several types of undesirable fiber dislocations may occur. One type occurs when substantially complete pin penetration is not accomplished very quickly. In this case, that portion of the strand which pins have penetrated will be subjected to different longitudinal feeding and restraining forces and rates than the strand portion which has not been penetrated. This is likely to be most unsatisfactory on small frames such as roving frames geared for a high :draft. In general, the difficulties are increased with increased mattiness or lack of parallelism of the fibers and in stock having a wide range of fiber length as described in my U. S. Patent No. 2,471,057. It is also increased where the porcupine or other pin roller travels at a higher rate than the feeding means as is sometimes the case. Another is that the initial penetration being in untwisted stock subjects the stock 'to undesirable transverse forces at the point in the process where the fibers are least able to withstand these forces without irregular results in the final spun yarn.

I have overcome these difficulties without introducing new processing difiiculties, and have determined that by properly presenting and guiding a strand or strands of fibers to, about and from a porcupine or other pin roll a comparatively Wide range of mechanism can be used.

I am, of course, aware that different type fiber supports have previously been used in conjunction with a pin roller. These commonly take the form of gears which at once restrict the pin spacing and arrangement within narrow limits and create unequal pressures and undulations in the stock. Also, I am familiar with the use of guards, guides or rolls which because of their position or form do not provide for the present type support at the initial points of pin insertion into the stock during drafting. I believe that I am the first to provide means and method of attaining. the following objects of invention.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a drafting mechanism having a stationary strand guide with a fixed support and means by which the stationary strand guide may be moved along the length of the support.

Another object is to provide a strand guide which does not enter the pinned area of a pin control roller, but which insures substantially complete and quick: penetration of stock irrespective of the degree of parallelism of the component fibers.

These and other objects "of the invention will.

be manifest from a consideration of the following description, claims and drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view in which the strand is presented at different predetermined positions on the periphery of the pin roll including positions forwardly of the pin roll center line;-

Fig; 2 is a sub-assembly view, partly in section, which shows thedri-ve, the manner of adjustment for the strand guide portion, and a control roll construction-of the device shown in Fig. 1.

his to be understood that either the shape or position of parts may provide for a supporting of th'efibersalong their length and in the area of the initial contact between the fibers and the pins. Additionally,-the surface of the supports'is such that they do not enter between the points of the pins and hence need not turn with the pin roller. The presentation of the strand or-strands to the pin roll is made under conditions that the bulk of the stock itself and the supporting guidemay contribute to the supporting of' the fibersduring pin insertion. In short, the size'of the sliver or roving being processed may influence the respective settings of the strand support and pin control roller.

Fig. .1 illustratesan embodiment of my invention wherein a generally fiat plate with rounded ends deflects thestrand or strands of fibers into the path at a predetermined pointor points on the periphery of the pin control roller. As previously-set forth, the control of the fibers isrnost critical close to the drawing off nip. For situations where short contact with the pin roller is desired or where a limited or no curving about thepin roll is preferred, I provide a structure to meet their several requirements.

According. to this embodiment, a support, which may be stationary during operation, is provided It may be adjustable along the periphery of the pin roller and independently adjustableof the-pin roll both as to spacing from the pin roll and about its controlling portion. I have shown-low twisted stock I entering the feed rolls 90, 9| and moving down and about a baror roller 92.- The twist will be removed as 'the stock advances and is drafted so that it is untwisted at the point of pin insertion which is close-'to-the front drawing oif nip formed by driven roller 93 and pressure roller 94. A fixed bracket 95; secured to'the frame by screws 96, has! acurved slot along which the guide is secured *inadjusted position. A bent member 91 having an attached end 98 and a turned in threaded portion permits the described adjustment-through manipulation of nut 99 and washer IOIx.-

Theend 98 is fixed to member I02. The member I02 has a strand guide portion I03, which may be rounded off and two arms I04, I05 having semi-circular top portions which together with companion members I06, I01 support the strand guide portion I03 against anti-friction collars I08 of the pin rolls I09. It will be seen that by use of shims or spacers between parts I04, I05 and I05, I01. different adjustments may be made in a radial direction and that the anti-friction collar is not essential to the broad concept.

Fig. 2 shows a pair of pin rolls, the mountin of thestrandguide about the pin roll shaft H0, and the centrally located bracket with its associated parts. Gear III is a drive gear for gear I I2 fixed to the pin roll shaft as will be understood.

A nose-bar II3 positioned between the pin roll and the front drawing ofi nip supports the strand and insures its leaving the pin roll from a definite predetermined position as desired. It may but need not be adjusted with the guide portion I02.

The guide portion I02 is shown to have a straight surface in the area in which the strands first contact the pins. Minor modification may obviously be made such as making a portion concentric to the pin roll.

The apron, where used, may be leather, woven rubber, metal or the like, and sufficiently smooth so that it will provide a support of the type described and not enter the pinned area. The pins are preferably short, staggered, .dense and disposed at an angle as previously described. The pin rolls are horizontally and vertically adjustable as desired and are preferably. positively driven.

It will be noted thatthe forces to which a strand or plurality of strands are subjected are such as to cause it or them to be in contact with the support or guide prior to and at the time of initial contactwith the pins of the control roller. It perhaps should be mentioned that textile fiber strandsv are classified by weight rather than thickness and that different type fibers have different degrees of compactness because of their cohesive and adhesive properties as well as their wildness. Furthermore, the stock is untwisted and the fibers are rapidly changing, their relative positions within the strand at the point of pin insertion. The setting of an individual machine may vary slightly with the character of the stock being processed and with the angle of inclination of the pins to their supporting base. The setting should be such as to provide substantially complete penetration of the pins through supported stock and the support should not enter into the pinned area. Entry of the stationary support into the pinned area would render the devices inoperative. The spacing between the guide and-pins is preferably very close so that the ends of the pins intersect at least a portion of the path of the unsupported compact bulk of the fibers to be processed. The bulk of the fibers are those positioned relatively to each other to form a continuous strand and having interfacial friction with one another. Wild fibers are not included in this definition as will be understood.

A pin roller is a form of slip draft device, but in general, it isv preferred that the stock be fed to it at a definite rate. While this is not necessary for all stock it gives a frame equipped with feeding rollers a range of operation not other- Wise obtained. The ratch is usually set to take care of the longest fibers which may be 8 inches to as much as 12 inches in length. Stock which contains a relatively high percentage of long fibers, such as mohair, does not require the same refinement of feeding control as weaker irregular blends. This is true of nearly all spinnable blends, except the weakest stocks having a wide variation in fiber length.

Having described my improvements in connection with the preferred embodiment, but not wishing to be limited to the specific details shown and described, but only by th limits of inventive novelty, I claim:

1. In a drafting mechanism for strands of textile fibers, means forming a front nip to draw of]? the fibers as they are being drafted, a stationary strand guide for fibers as they pass forwardly to the front nip, said stationary guide extending lengthwise along the path of the fibers for a predetermined distance, means including the said front nip forming means for moving a strand of fibers in contact with the stationary guide, and a rotatable fiber control pin roller for initially penetrating into only that portion of the length of the strand in contact with the stationary guide as the pin roll rotates in operation, means for adjusting the stationary strand guide 6 toward and away from the pin roller, said means including a fixed support for the stationary strand guide and means by which the stationary strand guide may be moved along the length of the support.

2. In the combination according to claim 1 in which the stationary support has a fiat portion over which the strand passes as it approaches the pin roller, and a curved portion substantially concentric with the pin roller,

WHITWORTH F. BIRD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

